Kojiro Machimura
General Information Kojiro Machimura is a Dranish politician of the right-wing Grand National Party currently serving as its Minister of Defence and as an MP for Magadonia Province. Early Life Born in 3376 in Y Cymoedd, a predominately Welsh city with a nonetheless significant Kyo community, he grew up in a rural and generally conservative environment, yet his parents, unlike most Kyo people, were irreligious and did not participate in the traditional rites that make up the Kyo culture, nor did they attend church. Thus, he was raised secular and became a convinced Atheist at the age of 16, as he stated in a later interview. When he was studying economics at the University of Porthladd Rhewi, he was influenced by the works of Gerardo Gutierrez, a capitalist and libertarian philosopher of the 32nd century who was also a former Prime Minister. He soon developed sympathy for libertarian ideas and became a member of the GNP in 3396, when it was led by Janice LeCoultre. After his studies, he went on to become a hotel manager in Santa Sharika, where he first engaged in actual politics and campaigned heavily against the standard-bearer of Dranish social conservatism, former Mayor Elaine Duvalle. Member of Parliament Machimura was elected to Parliament in 3397 for his home constituency in Y Cymoedd. During his campaign, he gathered significantly more support from the generally non-religious Welsh community than from Kyo voters, despite the latter's tendency to support Kyo candidates in general, regardless of political affiliation, probably due to his indifference towards Kyo culture and his atheism. Nevertheless, he was re-elected in 3401, 3405, 3409 and 3412. Machimura opposed the GNP's re-union with the CNP, however he renounced this stance in 3412 when the GNP won a huge electoral victory. Two years later, he succeeded Margaret Woodhall, who was to become Prime Minister, as the GNP's parliamentary leader. His nomination was interpreted as a concession on the part of Woodhall to the libertarian wing of the party. As parliamentary leader, he often clashed with the left-wing bloc and its foremost leader George Butterworth, not only over economic, but also over defence, fiscal and civil rights issues. His decidedly libertarian rhetoric led to a further shift to the right on economic issues within the GNP faction while also promoting liberalism on social issues. As ethnic nationalism began to emerge across Dranland, Machimura spearheaded efforts to counter radical tendencies in the Kyo community by co-founding a council of moderate Kyo proponents alongside former President James Tanaka and Daenist Bishop Asakawa. In May 3422, Machimura succeeded Geoffrey Fox as Defence Minister amid a period of political turmoil due to the radicalization of several parties including the Jalalists and the VKA. However, Machimura refrained from using the army to crack down on the riots, leaving this to the Interior Minister. He thus kept a low-profile during the Valdor crisis. Following the GNP's huge defeat in 3424, Machimura resigned from Parliament alongside most of the 'Old Guard'. However, he did state that he reserved the right to return to politics at any point of his life. Category:Dranian people Category:Grand National Party (Dranland) politicians